Plenty of quarterback lessons still await the Broncos’ Tim Tebow. Such is life for a quarterback coming off his rookie year with so many expectations riding shotgun on his developmental curve.

And for Tebow, there was something to be taken from the the AFC and NFC championship games. One, a quarterback who can run his way out of trouble is a bonus. Just a bonus, however, not a way of doing business all of the time.

Of the top five rushing quarterbacks this season, two played Sunday — Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Chicago’s Jay Cutler. Rodgers will be playing in Super Bowl XLV.

Philadelphia’s Michael Vick led NFL quarterbacks in rushing this season with 676 yards. Vick had nine rushing touchdowns. But what made him so effective as a runner was that he had the first 3,000-yard passing season of his NFL career.

This also was the first season Vick completed at least 60 percent of his passes. He threw a career-high 21 touchdown passes. He also threw only six interceptions, a career-low number for a season in which he made at least 12 starts.

Vick was a dominant player this season because his all-around work as a quarterback improved.

Most pro personnel people in the NFL will say Vick was a more effective runner, taking fewer punishing hits because of what he did in the pocket as a passer.

Rodgers ranked third in the NFL in rushing among quarterbacks with 356 yards this season. He continuously finds open spaces to run because of what he can do as a passer. Because of his accuracy with the ball, especially on the move, defenses can’t rush with abandon when they force Rodgers out of the pocket.

Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger ran for a touchdown Sunday on a called pass play. As the New York Jets’ defense moved away to cover the Steelers’ receivers, Roethlisberger saw a running lane and scored.

When Tebow improves his accuracy as a passer, which will come with improved footwork and a more consistent arm swing and release point, his potential to be an impact runner will improve too.

The next step Tebow needs to take to become the “darn good quarterback” desired by John Elway, the Broncos’ executive vice president of football operations, will be continuing to transition his game from a running quarterback to a quarterback who can run.

There is plenty of proof in Tebow’s peers who play the quarterback position in the biggest games.

More in Sports

Over the course of the pursuit of a prep wrestling championship four-peat, there always seems to be a defining match or two that either makes or breaks the chance at joining the most exclusive club in the sport.